Bridgewater State University is amid a construction spree on campus, including a $60 million residence hall, converted power plant and a half-dozen building renovations.

“This wouldn’t be a summer at Bridgewater without a lot of exciting construction going on,” said BSU spokesman Bryan Balwin.

“There is a 15-week window in the summer that we can do construction and from the time the tent comes down from commencement, until the time we fire up things for the fall, it’s an intense time of renewal at Bridgewater State University,” he said.

The biggest project underway is a 500-bed residence hall that boasts LEDE-certified energy efficiency and new space for the health counseling office on campus. At $60 million, the project is the second most-expensive building on campus, following the $99 million science center already open.

Baldwin said Weygand Hall will accommodate demand for more housing on campus, as enrollment climbs and residential options are continually maxed out.

“Our old campus was built for 800 people and now we have 12,000 students and faculty on campus,” said Baldwin, “and in addition, there have been changes in the way subjects are taught.”

The new residence hall will feature “bump-outs” throughout the building that will function as living and learning centers. Outfitted with white boards, special furniture, and technology outlets, the designated spaces will enable students in common majors to combine living and learning in the same space.

“It really gives the campus and the residents a different kind of space and a synergy with what you’re learning and passionate about and where you’re living,” said Baldwin.

“This is a growth industry in higher education,” said Baldwin, “and a trend in exploring how people best learn.”

Weygand Hall will also house a larger health counseling office formerly located in Tillingast Hall.

Other projects include an ADA-compliant renovation to Rondileau Campus Center and a recently-completed $1.4 million power plant conversion from oil to natural gas. The environmental and cost-saving measure will save the university $500,000 per year, netting a three-year payback cycle.